Thetownend.com

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/10621851.Cooper_set_to_be_named_permanent_manager/

Commence meltdown.

Was always going to be Cooper I don't know why anyone thought different. The players like him & respect him & his style of football.

Personally I would have given him 10 games before deciding but the board obviously see something in Cooper.

I think give him a chance, got the team playing good football at times and as mentioned the players seem to lke him.

Could have been a lot lot worse.

The one thing the board have done is shown an excellent ablity to manage, or rather, lower expectations over time. The Ranger story slipped out to give is a week to get used to it. This has been knocking about for weeks, during which time anybody that hoped for somebody else, whether Tisdale, a spurs-bod or anybody other than Cooper, have got used to the idea whether or not they like it.

Mark Cooper ffs. :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Mediocrity has well and truly returned to the County Ground.

Cooper set to be named permanent manager
           
           


  SWINDON Town are expected to unveil Mark Cooper as their new permanent manager today, ending five-and-a-half weeks of speculation over who would fill the role.

           

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/10621851.Cooper_set_to_be_named_permanent_manager/?ref=rss
           
           
           

We all knew this the second KMac walked.

It's no surprise.

Don't think we've played any worse under Cooper than we did under MacDonald

Which still isn't much to shout about is it?

Saturday's horror show was as bad as Doncaster/Franchise away.

Regardless, a manager should not be given a permanent job because of a 1-0 win against a League 2 side and 45 minutes against Stevenage.

I know I will be shot down here, but was a proper manager really too much to ask for?

Well what a fucking shock.

I hope im wrong but I can't help feeling this will be shit.

I....a fan since 79....wanted a proven manager at this level (not too much to ask), so for me this is a disaster. However I will happily eat humble pie if this turns out to be a masterstroke.

Lose to the pikeys and prepare for meltdown......

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=44GqaZvEgq4

Seems BBC Wilts arenn't as sure as the Adver - still reporting this morning that's it's between two parties and will be announced later on.

Poor appointment for a normal managerial role.

I don't think we have a normal managerial role so who knows.

Understandable that we've gone with Cooper.

A bit disappointed it's taken 5 weeks to reach that decision though.

Possible that the Adver are wrong here in an attempt to jump the gun. Jed was less than complimentary about the Adver on Twitter last night so that would explain why Sam has been screwed around by the club of late.

If it is Cooper then I can see some logic in the appointment insofar as the players will be accustomed to working with him, he's understanding of the direction the club is heading in and comfortable working under a DoF. I don't believe that it was going to be Cooper from the minute MacDonald walked out as I can't see this board dragging out a manager search for almost 6 weeks just to announce that the caretaker manager has been made permanent. I think it's far more likely that any targets the board approached have been out of our budget or unwilling to work within the constraints of a DoF identifying and signing targets.

I don't understand all the clamour for a "proven" manager. A couple of years ago, subsequent to Wilson/Hart, everyone was desperate to give a young and unproven manager a go because that's what we've had success with.

A disappointing appointment but as much as we can hope for under the circumstances. I hope he does well, he comes across well and judging by posts on here we've had some good moments so far. We all knew we were in for an inconsistent and mediocre season.

Bit strange that Morshead tweeted yesterday saying he didnt think it would be Cooper then this morning we get an article telling us it will be.

Good point, though Cooper isn't of the type of young manager those people wanted (i.e. a name just finishing their playing days like Hoddle, Ossie, etc).

People were satisfied by the appointment of Di Canio (mostly) and he was born the same year as Cooper.

I think that's about where the similarities end...

The delay certainly points to there being missed targets. I think in our situation, with the Power involvement, a coach like Cooper is all we could get without paying anything.

Why would you be shot down? You're spot on.

He deserves a chance.

He gets on with his job without kicking up a fuss, he's used to the DOF system, he tries to play the style of football the board/ spurs coaching set-up would like us to play and he knows the players.

Whether he's the best man to get results on the pitch I'm not totally convinced, but at the moment I think those other factors are taking precedence over anything else, and there aren't many experienced managers who will be willing to work under those conditions.

Ironically, considering he's got the least to work with on the playing side from the last few years, he's probably got more pressure from the fans to deliver results than any of our recent managers.

FFS....great way to start the day!

I really don't understand all the shite that gets posted about managers. I don't get to see what goes on behind closed doors and don't know what constraints managers are put under at different clubs. I therefore don't know who would be good for the club. All I can say is whether I've heard of them before and know whether they have done well elsewhere.

Many of the managers I've seen people clamour for over the years I've thought have been rubbish the majority of times but with a couple of bright sparks. In our recent history, just look at Macari and to a degree Ardiles & Wise. None have been as successful elsewhere.

If Cooper is appointed, I hope he does well, because its my team he'll be managing! My expectations aren't for promotion this year, but for a thrill when we grind out a draw against some of the big spending clubs and when we win every now and again. If we finish lower mid table with the ability to kick on next year I'll be happy.

Does anyone know who this second party is?

I can't help but think the board would be accused en mass of being "rash" had they not spent 5 weeks investigating other potential options before hiring Cooper.

Makes complete sense to me, not like Cooper was going to up sticks and leave.

Rumour has it it's a Scottish ex-Liverpool player from the 80s...  ;)

Alan Hansen yipee

Or Souness, or Dalglish...........But I think you were whoshed as the inference was Kevin MacDonald

Seems he's already been written off as hopeless by many on here already, good to see new players/managers are still not given much of a chance at Swindon.

And people on here wanting a 'proven' manager? Di Canio was an utter novice and (ok, he had Black to bankroll basically whatever players he wanted) did very well.

I think a time of stability now is important, I don't see what good chopping and changing at this time of the season would do, unless we are going to bring in Mourinho or SAF out of retirement.

The townend has become totally divided recently, its all a bit depressing (sorry Tans). My first game of the season on Saturday and I am really looking forward to seeing the new team in action. Its time to give the board, Cooper and the players they have brought in a chance. Appointing a manager was the last piece of the puzzle so lets see whether the jigsaw fits nicely into place, or like Andy Williams, falls to pieces in the box.

It seems like many on here want the team to fail (i'm sure deep down they don't really) as they don't like Jed. Sure he comes across as a bit of a nob, but so is MacAnthony as Peterborough and he seems to be doing a decent job there.

Cooper is in many fans eyes directly linked and associated to the board and Jed = Whatever he does he has absolutely no chance in many fans eyes.

Thankless task for him.

Why are people quick to point out that we only performed well for 45 minutes against Stevenage, yet seem to not want to point out that we spent a good 50/60 minutes outplaying Peterborough on their own turf? Yeah Saturday was shit but so far most of the football has been pretty decent. The suicide passes accross the back 4 arent the greatest and yeah, so far we seem to not have a plan B.. But that doesn't mean we won't learn and adapt.

I don't get why people deliberately search for negatives. I've said it before but the reason we will never be successful is because of us. We want instant success, constantly. "We need a proven manager". Why? Why do we need a proven manager? Were Di Canio, Macari, Hoddle, etc, etc, etc proven? No. Hart was proven though wasn't he?!

This board and this manager, who as far as I'm concerned have done a pretty good job of taking a complete fuck up and turn it into something that could turn out to be pretty decent with a bit of time, are doomed because our wonderful fan base have decided, based on pretty much fuck all, that they don't like them. Cant wait for the Cooper outs in a few weeks because we're not winning after 5 minutes. The sooner we realise we're a pretty average League One team, bar the odd foray up and down, the better. If you crave success that badly why the fuck did you support Swindon? There's a club up the M4 doing pretty well if you're that desperate.

Good luck Coops.

Not at all

Good luck Coops

Please don't call him Coops.

It's either Cooper or Coop.

(http://www.defectivegeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/dale-cooper.jpg)

Ah. Maybe you whoshed the whosher and I was the one in the end who got whoshety-whoshed?

Goodluck Jonathan

Just like th..............

Haha. What about Big C?

Was an almost impossibile task to find anyone else who would have been happy to have a style of play and squad picked for him.
I think Cooper should have the title of head coach as that is what he is.

The connotations of that may accurately sum up how some feel about Cooper's presence at the club as a patsy for JedCo.

Can't disagree with that at all.

I can't say I think that the DoF/head coach system is a bad idea in theory either. It's started off horribly here though.

Nice post tails.

I was one that wanted a proven manager and you make a good point ref strikes, hoddle and pdc.

however....they had one advantage that Cooper does not...They ARE top players who ARE unproven, so, there's a risk.
Cooper is proven to be shit. Fact.

Exactly right Arriba

Except for the bit where the last time he had a full season in charge of a team they finished 7th and won a trophy in a Wembley final? Proper shit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Cooper_(footballer_born_1968)

For those unable to Google and i only just have looked in detail at his managerial record. It's a bit of a mixed bag to be honest. I knew about his stint at P'boro but he only had 13 games there and was probably too big a jump at the time. Some of his non-league stuff is pretty good and looks like we might get a cup run this year.

Anyway, all of this means fuck all, it's what we do in the here and now. Let's give the bloke a chance at least. OK we're unlikely to win the league this season but the football (bar Saturday) on offer has been a hell of a lot better than I was expecting this season that's for sure.

Not a fact at all. He actually has a pretty decent record overall.

I'd forgotten about his stint at Darlington, we must be like a paradise by comparison

I need to specify League football really. Sorry. We are a league side and I judge on that basis.
We are not FGR or Salisbury FFS....so excuse my lack of enthusiasm!

In non league its feast or famine......Canvey Island going to rat shit to keep Tamworth in the league ala FGR.....or a trophy final and a promotion albeit in the CONF north (where he was sacked for 'relegation form)...few nice cup runs.

In the league it's been pretty shit...argue with one win in 13....he's only got one league win here so far!

Boiled down i (personally) am disappointed but not surprised.

If i was a fan of Hyde United then i would be well happy but im not....I follow and love Swindon Town and IMO we could and should of done better ref the manager.

We now just have to get on with it and wait and see what happens.

I will not boo him or call for his head until we are well and truly in the shit.

I will not miss games, not travel away or boo players etc etc.

I promise to recall this thread in April/May and post a review. I sincerely hope its a massive fucking portion of humble pie that i will be eating.

Still looking forward to Saturday.

Peterborough were in the shit when he joined anyway, don't forget he replaced the fired Ferguson, was followed by Gannon and Johnson in the same season who continued the downward spiral.  Don't think we can judge his managerial ability on 13 games in charge there.

I really believe if he gets the job (has it been confirmed yet?) that we should get behind him and give him some time, he's spent time in non league, he's not inexperiened as a manager and has gone through some tough times at Tamworth, Kettering and Darlo. 

Still think we'll make a couple more signings before transfer window closes which can make a big difference.

More than fair opinion, FLASH.

Personally, with all the turnover in the last few months anyway can see the sense in continuing with someone who's already got a rapport with the players and seems happy and able to implement the style the board want on the pitch.

May well come unstuck and prove to be a mistake, but only fair to give the guy a chance and our support now he's got the job officially.

Not enamoured with everything this board have done on the playing side, and still think the recruitment policy has left us lacking experience (if Ward were to be suspended/injured feel like we'd be fucked) but in my opinion they're making a reasonable effort of a tough rebuilding job, and can't understand the overly outraged response of some fans to this appointment.

Sam Morshead ‏@SamMorshead_SA 31s
Press conference at 4pm at the County Ground.
https://twitter.com/SamMorshead_SA/status/369756277720629248

Is Sam going?

I'm not his secretary, just sharing his tweet.

Then you answer should have been "I don't know".

There's a press conference at 4:00 pm to announce that Morshead is going?...just leaves Cox, Navarro, Benson and Caddis now.

Why not? Peterborough's board and supporters did.

Darlington chairman quotes when Cooper was fired in 2011:

"Results have been nowhere near where we wanted them"

"I supported Mark with a strong budget and I backed his judgement in bringing in a number of new players, even up to last week when we brought in two new players, because we wanted to give him every chance to turn this around.

"I decided to publicly back Mark a fortnight ago and we were lifted by wins over Stockport and Kidderminster, but the last two results and, more importantly, the manner of the defeats were, for me, the final straw."

From Tamworth in 2008 when Cooper was sacked, leaving the club bottom. (Where he also left Telford and Peterborough)

The Lambs are currently bottom of the Conference following a recent run of poor form.
 
A club statement said: "This follows concern over the league form and the position the club finds itself in."

Enough warning signs for everyone????
 

Glad to hear this news.....not too bothered about his record as he doesn`t seem to have done this too long. I like the style of football he is trying. The club was fortunate to find someone ( Jed and his cronies ) to bail them out after DiCanio`s chaos....the alternative was a manager who had done the rounds in the lower leagues and got nowhere. The club have precious little money so looking to survive in this league has to be the first aim. I have no problem giving Cooper a chance...good luck to him.

Records mean very little in reality as circumstances at clubs vary hugely and even if you do take them as warning signs, what can we realistically do? Why are we supposed to heed these warning signs?

We've had numerous managers who have been successful here but indifferent elsewhere. Admittedly, very rarely - if ever - do managers with records bordering on distinctly average/poor suddenly succeed.

I would say realistically we appoint a manager with a little more league experience and perhaps a promotion under his belt. I'm not asking for Carlo Ancelotti, Paul cunting Tisdale would do...

Given that we've had to sell any player worth a transfer fee and haven't got a pot to piss in, how are we realistically going to pay compensation for Tisdale, or anyone else currently employed?

The point I was making was more along the lines of what we can do as fans - nothing wrong with debating his record, some think it's decent, others think it's awful - but if he's appointed there's not much use in not backing him and giving him a chance.

Yeah. What we need is a manager with a proven track record wherever he's been and who's banging the door down to take over here with a reduced budget.

I'm surprised we've been able to move around the County Ground these last few weeks. The number of candidates must be endless.

I would say Cooper is our least credible appointment since Ken Beamish, took us to our lowest ever position in 83/84...it was similar insofar as he was around and cheap....Beamish had been brought in by John Trollope as a veteran striker with a decent lower league record, in order to do a bit of coaching as well as play the odd game, because we had a young inexperienced team.

The difference being Beamish could recruit his own players, and he did pick up Dave Hockaday, Garry Nelson and returned Alan Mayes to goalscoring ways.

I fully expect Darren Ward to be at the helm before the season is out....

They had a shortlist of 10 candidates on July 25th

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/10569663.McCrory_wants_new_boss_before_season_start/

Please define a credible manager as we have had many with no experience which would suggest they were less credible that Cooper. Iffy wasn't dripping with experience fopr instance but I assume as he had a link together and was not linked to the devil McCrory he is deemed acceptable?

All with proven track records and who you wouldn't be be able to find any negative quotes about too, no doubt.

That is possibly more than you could shake a stick at!

It's fair game to take pot shots at Cooper and Jed et al WHEN AND IF things go tits up on the pitch.

Until that happens people should get on with supporting their club.

Not as many as Cooper

Add Jimmy Quinn to that as well

Th main quote you've posted is from the Darlington chairman. Is that the same bloke who took them to the wall?

As DRS was eluding to yesterday unfortunately there are probably some who will want Cooper to fail so they can say "I told you so".  I assume these are the same people who frequent the CG and seem to get more enjoyable out of poor performances so they can shout and vent their anger.

Unfortunately, you are right there.

Fucked if I'd pay £25 just so I could moan and groan for 90 minutes wishing my team to lose.

These people are irritating. Where I sit in the DRS there are some right ball sacks who are going to just shout 'sort it out Cooper' from kick off on Saturday unless we are 5-0 up within 10 minutes.

No that was George Reynolds.

I quoted the bloke who saved them in 2009.

You can take a turn now - Tell us all why you are happy with Cooper being appointed as manager of our football club.
Go!

Iffy was credible insofar as he had been coaching the youth team, was a youngish popular ex player who was perceived as a bright and engaging personality....given our low ebb at the time having just lost 6 in a row, it wasn't exactly a dream job, and Iffy nearly but not quite turned it around.

I was quite happy with KMac...if we are to have the kids and passing football philosophy, then he had a credible CV for that. Cooper he picked up as a cheap and cheerful credible cone carrier, again no problem with that.

KMac was appointed pre Power...and I've yet to see anything to contradict the notion that he quit because of Power's influence on decision making...likewise I've yet to see anything in Copper's CV that he has any meaningful experience of coaching kids.

I'm more unhappy that we're using a European set up of director of football and head coach than anything. I don't think it matters who the manager is as it's still Power calling the important shots anyway.

Jimmy Quinn had taken Reading to the Championship PO final, albeit as part of a duo. He also did manage to keep us up, taking over from the train wreck left by McMahon.

Two way street that though - not seen anything saying he quit at all

 :hmmm: so you think KMac is still lurking in the shadows somewhere at the club...

And I've yet to see anything proving it....

Fot those wishing we appoint a proven league manager; the last, experienced league manager we had was Paul (4-3-3) Hart....
Picking a manager that's going to be successful isn't as easy or straightforward as some seem to think. I also think arriba got it spot on re Cooper's role, he's Head Coach.

Ahh this bloke. What a saviour

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raj_Singh,_businessman

I just think we should give Cooper more than 4 games before we start forming opinions on whether he's a good choice or not. If we did everything based on successful track records with no negatives then we wouldn't appoint anyone.

More that it might not have been his decision to leave - 'mutual consent' is kind of a bullshit catch-all for the manager leaving.

Pathetic.

4pm press conference... coincidence?  :sherlock:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23768854

i hear Hope Powell is a late applicant for the job.

Beat me to it !

4 games too long?

Even worse.

After the Stevenage game everyone was singing Cooper's praises, that they'd be behind him if he got the job blah blah blah.. If he gets it I'm going to get behind him, I don't particularly want him to get it, but it seems that he has, certainly not going to hope for him to fail.

As i'm so pathetic you have a go now then. Who should we have appointed? Tisdale isn't an option as he'd cost compensation and probably wouldn't want to come anyway.

Didnt Jed say he would only appoint Cooper if he had the backing of the fans? Id say its 50/50 right now so again Jed says one thing then does another.

My concern with Cooper is that if he doesnt do too well we may be looking for a manager again by Christmas. So with all the talk of stability we'd have anything but. For that reason i hope he does well and gets results. The club needs a stable base to build on.

I'm right behind him, until we lose to Gillingham.  :)

That's true of anyone who gets the job though no?

Good Lord

we get it, right

you are not impressed

I've already explained. There were a significant number of applicants. There were ten on the shortlist alone. If compensation etc was an issue presumably Jed wouldn't have even bothered interviewing or shortlisting. He would have known it wasn't possible to appoint from that list. Yet they met with Tisdale twice. And there were applicants not currently attached to clubs.

We can go round in circles forever but if you have one footballing brain cell in your head you can see that Cooper's track record is dismal and he should be no where near in the frame for a League 1 club.

If you are happy then fair play to you mate, let's face it he's getting the job no matter what I say, so I'll leave it there.

To be far Wray suggested he was running the club well, owners/chairman bullshitting the fans is nothing new.


But won't we be doing the same if a new 'name' comes in and we has a piss poor run till Christmas?

All of which reported by the Adver along with other fantasies such as "Town chase Clayton Donaldson".

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the shortlist was drawn up on the back of a fag packet

Yes and no. The trouble is Cooper doesnt have the full support of the fanbase like some other managers would. For example if it was Tisdale and we were 17th at xmas i think people would be a lot less on his back than say someone like Cooper. Ive seen it before if people dont like an appointment only good results can keep the manager going in the longer run.

And is a proper manager who wouldn't be up for this DOF bull shit.

This is where Darren Ward comes in....think he'll step into the job, which is partly why he's signed the new contract. This is an idea I'm not adverse to, succession planning etc....if Ward has been indentified as a talented individual then all good.

Fucking hell, we have alreadly had 'credible manager' this morning, now we have 'proper manager' what are these new terms that people banging on about. The majority of top european clubs use the DoF system, are you telling me that if Real Madrid came in for Tisdale he would say no as he is a 'proper manager'.

Ahhh. Still no name then!

You keep referring to this "shortlist" but how do you know there was anyone on it who was a realistic propostion and/or likely to come here? Based on your OTT reaction to this appointment I'd suggest you wouldn't have been happy with any of the names on the list. I also bet they would either be unproven or I'd be able to dredge up a couple of negative quotes about them that's for sure.

Cooper's track record at a league club is poor at the moment that's for sure. This is based on 17 matches though. His non-league track record is more than reasonable, this together with the football being much better than I expected this season so far means I'm at least happy to give the man a chance.

Sorry if I come across as not having a footballing brain cell. Maybe with your superior knowledge you should contact the club and offer your services on a consultancy basis.

People really do need to change their mindset regarding the team and management. It's changed.
Not a fan of someone above the manager making decisions as I think its a recipie for disaster but that's where the club is.
The problem is that fans will still blame everything on Cooper. I don't think he will get to Xmas,another desperado will get it and we'll bumble on with no change. Unless the manager is allowed a budget,his players,his tactics etc then it really doesn't matter. The system needs to change at the club before anything else.

I've heard mention that there was a vote on thisisstfc and 80% wanted to keep him.  Didn't see it myself though.

By proper manager I mean a football manager in the sense of how the English fans, players, etc. understand it.

Because it works in Europe does that mean it will work here? Spurs tried it, failed and ended up going back to the traditional system with Harry Redknapp (very much a proper manager in the traditional english sense)

Chelsea also tried it and have ended up crawling back to Jose with their tails between their legs.

Newcastle are currently trying it as we speak and I fully expect that to be a catastrophe as well.

This

To build on this how do you know that Cooper is not the man, how do you know that Power is picking the team, picking the formation, choosing the players? MacDonald left for whatever reason, we have no idea what it was it may be interference from above, it could be that he didn't want to locate, family illness, he thought Jed was a fool... the simple fact is we do not know!

So much anti-board stuff on here is trotted out now as fact, we simply don't know. It is a bloody mess but can we please give him a sodding chance - if it is Cooper, I am crossing my fingers that its Hope Powell personally for a real meltdown, she is a football person, lots of experience!

When people leave clubs for family reasons they are usually made public,not the silence on Kmacs departure from both parties here.
The person departing wouldn't just walk out like that is it was family reasons.

The poor bloke does not stand a chance

being fucking vilified by people who 2 weeks ago were lauding the style of play.

If he has the full support of the dressing room and the players give everything for him then that is the best I can ask for.

I had no expectations for this season and that continues

Would imagine he's been gagged by a compromise agreement.

Actually on that front PDC offered little up in the public domain too.
============
On Cooper I'm underwhelmed but not surprised. No point going into it lamblasting him for every loss though. It is going to be tough for any manager to get such a young team to perform consistently.

I do think its fair to judge him come the January transfer window though. In terms of expectation, if we are not in a relegation dogfight then I think there can be no complaints. Anything else is a bonus.

Think you are right but in the minority.

There was. I did see it.

Agree with this completely.

It could all go horribly wrong but we've had better and more experienced managers who have completely fucked it up and others that have been pretty shit at other clubs but done well here.

Make that a minority of two Fred. I agree with everything you just posted.

Make that three.

I never said he'd be picking the team, that may fall under the head coach role...but Stevie Wonder could see he's the guy signing the players. How much more blatant does it have to be?

I have no problem with that at all

From what I have seen and heard there have been some quality signings.

Young yes, but quality none the less

I'm fine with Cooper, done no worse than MacDonald.

People really haven't got over the fact we haven't replaced super Paolo with another name. It hasn't been helped by Jed's false promises etc. but our fans are like spoilt children.

Spurs, Man City and Chelsea all have staff other than the manager who deal with signings.


Couldn't agree more - just because it's different doesn't mean it's bad.

Long live king cooper :bandwagon:

Bet he gets us promoted now just to stick two fingers up at all the morbid cunts on here

Much as it pains me to say it hasn't worked too badly at Reading has it...

Would people accept Hammond here as a DoF as he is 'Swindon'.

I don't care if Jed's mum is signing the players, all that matters is whether or not it works. Only time will tell on that count.

But their managers get to pick the players they sign, big difference. Spurs didn't before Redknapp and it was a car crash. I'm yet to see one example of it working well.

We can only hope!  :smugfu:

spot on

we have a young squad and manager

The idealist in me would love for a season of consolidation and the whole group (including Mr Cooper) being given the time to mature together.

Too much to ask I know, stylish footbal in its infancy does not only bring results, but I would love my club to buck the trend and persevere with patience

Prey tell me how you know this, as I have not seen one shred of evidence to support your claim

.....and it was Manchester United who the league last season.

I'd said my bit before, the manager should sign the players he wants, play the players and formation he wants.

I'm not a fan of the DoF as I think having too many people with influence over team matters will lead to disagreements or someone just following.

For example, lets say we are shit and keep losing....is it really Coopers fault....maybe, none of us really know how much say he has....

Do I think Cooper is a great choice, nope. Poor track record.
I'm not sure we need a manager with a proven track record either, most are proven......proven to be shite.

I still believe in the hungry young ex pro route. If they want their management career to last they have to make it work for themselves and thus work for us.
Do I think the type of manager would jump at the chance to come here with the current set up probably not.

This will be the last league managers job Cooper will ever have.

I think deep down, like arriba it doesn't really matter who our manager is....

There was another poll on the Adver after Saturday's defeat and 67% didn't want him to get the job full time.

Almost every club has someone above having a say in transfer matters. There are very few that let the manager have total control.

The fickleness of football fans.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-city/10054944/Manchester-City-sporting-director-Txiki-Begiristain-the-driving-force-behind-impending-arrival-of-Manuel-Pellegrini.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/franco-baldini-the-driving-force-behind-tottenhams-slick-transfer-campaign-8774983.html

http://worldsoccertalk.com/2013/06/04/can-jose-mourinho-work-under-chelsea-technical-director-michael-emenalo/

But I'll take your word for it..

@DV - Don't agree with you but you're obviously entitled to your opinion. I can't recall it really being done in such a transparent fashion before at this level, and your concerns about the setup may prove totally correct.

I'm willing to give it at least a bit of time before praising it to the rafters or slating it as a failure though. One thing I do believe is that there didn't seem to be a whole host of available players over the summer that were available to the many clubs we now find ourselves competing with financially and in terms of promotion prospects.

Trying something no one else is doing is a gamble, certainly, but sometimes gambles pay off and if the fans are willing to be even a little patient it might - at least - not be a total disaster.

I've pointed this out before but as the argument rages on it probably needs saying again. With a board member this involved in player signings we are preventing a Paolo Situation from ever arising, and making best use of our money long term in the transfer market.

As a club we can have a strategy that outlives managers (or coaches if you like), players and whole teams that are built season to season and probably helps to stop us from overhaulling our entire squad EVERY FUCKING year at a massive fucking expense.

Why should the manager have total control? At this level they are only interested in short term success (PDC!) that is not sustainable, how does that help the club long term? There should be someone who over looks it all to make sure its in the interest of the club. I don't believe Power is picking players to sign i think he is just the one who does the deals, similar to Wray.

I've enjoyed the style of football Cooper has got us playing, but not sure its the right appointment. The delay just has too many questions behind it? Did others turn the club down? Maybe Cooper impressed them more than the others? Could they not agree terms with the person they wanted? I feel that had they really wanted Cooper he would have been appointed earlier, and i don't see what they have to gain by announcing it now after the first result of the season that can be considered poor. Why not do it after the Stevenage win?

Lets all get behind the cunt then:

In a few months we can:

- Celebrate on this thread with 'i told you so' gloats.

- Eat Humble pie with 'I never wanted the useless cunt but i have to say.....'

I already have my gravy to go with the pie! I hope i get to pour it!

Anyone know if this 4pm thing will be on radio swindon?

All this speculation over whether or not Cooper is good enough and we don;t even know his favourite cheese yet.

I don't have a particular issue with the DoF thing...but once you've established the ground rules of here's the players, this is to be the style of play, you need to put a a man in charge who can demonstrate excellence or at least a positive belief in this system as the way forward...for me Cooper doesn't fit the bill.  I can see no sign of any high level youth work on his CV...I've asked before and I'll ask again, to the Cooper fan club, does he have UEFA high level coaching badges?

How did you get his CV?

Not part of the Cooper fan club myself but willing to give the guy a chance

I am far more pragmatic about the whole situation Reg than you appear to be, but please tell me out of our last 5 managers which ones have held the UEFA high level coaching badges ?

I haven't read the whole thread but has anyone mentioned that all the players seem to respect him? Which I think is important.

Could be deemed as an easy appointment but he hasn't done anything wrong yet, will be relatively cheap and seems happy with the Power/Jed involvement in transfers etc.

We played good football against P'boro and Stevenage so I'm not too concerned about giving him a chance. If it goes tits he won't be expensive to move on either I would assume?

I bought 2 of them from a used Citroen car salesman at a place called Jedland Motors....said it could be maintained sustainably on an austerity budget...but were in fact cranky old rust buckets that got left behind by the rest.

If the adver are cut out of the loop I bet Sam is hoping it will be...

Certainly PDC, also Sturrock...not sure about Hart Wilson or Malpas...Hart was brought in as a short term firefighter, becasue he'd done a similar job with Palace...Wilson we know was an experienced lower league operator...and Malpas fitted Fitton's young player coaching remit as he'd been in charge of Scotland U 21.

They say they like him which is a bit different...

You forgot MacDonlad

Silly me...yes MacDonald was fully badged up.

he's old bless him x

Yet many people on here said he was totally useless as well.....

What 4pm thing?

Is there a press conference at 4pm or did I mis read something

Not me though...I praised the appointment of KMac, which made sense to me in the way the club was obviously heading, in the same way Cooper doesn't.

According to Moosehead, there are 3 chairs at the top table .....

Cooper .... Jed .... And Power .......

Is today the day we hear from the mystery man?

Maybe KMac left Cooper his magic coaching manual as a present.

He's still waiting for Power to tell him...probably Emmental, Gruyere, or Sprinz.

Its on the radio

well will be after the news

Point of reference ?

Before they cut it off for gardeners weekly

There was a statement from him a while back on the official website.

Does signing players when we didn't have a manager count as a shred?

We had Mark Cooper, Caretaker Manager and an established part of the coaching set up

Your arguments do not stack up

We had no permanent manager, yours don't.

Confirmed as Cooper

On radio now - Cooper is the manager.

Sangita is there!  Let her speak ....

The less Jed says the better I reckon

Sheldon Cooper?

SHOCK!!

Bazinga!

[quote ]
Three seats have been set out for today's press conference, with the new manager and chairman Jed McCrory certain to fill two of them
[/quote]

Anyone else read that as Jed, after putting on few kilos was taking up a dual role of manager & chairman ?  :doh:

Sam tweets its confirmed... they couldn't even get the announcement right....

Sam Morshead‏@SamMorshead_SA1m
Mark Cooper have formally unveiled Mark Cooper as the new manager of Swindon Town

Now I don't want you all breaking the internet now....

Quite possibly the most negative interviewer I've ever heard for a new manager coming in.

What a twat

McCrory: Mark is far from the cheapest option. We believe Mark ticks all the boxes we want for us. We think Mark will get us promoted.

Nothing like ambition, still aiming for promotion it seems

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS7YZhsjRAo

The negative vibe is geting to me, I cannot be the only one who read the below initially as 'Mark is by far the cheapest option'...

Sam Morshead‏@SamMorshead_SA1m
McCrory: Mark is far from the cheapest option. We believe Mark ticks all the boxes we want for us. We think Mark will get us promoted.

awwww...I wanted Hope Powell (played by Cheri Lunghi)

Bazinga!

Right, I'm off to thisis  :). I'll report back later.

Well at least we are going to get promoted, don't see what all the fuss is about....

Its probably melted

jesus

you really need to turn the laptop off before you make yourself ill mate

its people like you that will never be happy and cant wait for us to fail

Judging by your user name you are probably the same sort of age as me

You should have more sense

Excellent. I'm pleased.

I'm all for having faith in your manager but really?

Promotion? Anyone genuinely believe we can get promoted?

No I dont DV

Mid table mediocrity will do just fine for me this season

Let them all mature together

I find it hard to believe he wasn't the cheapest serious option? Surprised he got 2 years too.

I think most of us would be happy with that.
Why set the fans expectations high with bullshit talk of promotion. Reminds me of our last relegation season where our players kept talking about 'going on a run and making the play offs' never happened.

I think we will struggle this season.

Not at all, you're making assumptions based on one opinion. Does everyone have to be negative about everything or glowingly positive about everything? I'm a realist and I don't have to have a written statement clarifying everything so that we 'know it' to be able to read between the lines just a tiny bit.

Can you imagine the reaction of some people if he said "well to be honest we are aiming for mid table"

Sam Morshead ‏@SamMorshead_SA 3m
TEF scarf shot #stfc pic.twitter.com/OclxPUWG2Z

Good man, now what about the cheese question?

Mid table would be fine. There are worse clubs in the league (bookies seem to think Carlisle and Stevenage are down already). There are better clubs. We are a few goals away from being a respectable team for the league. Give Cooper a safe-ish season to prove whether he can do the job and see where we get to. Could be a lot worse.

'The Town End says...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
 !!!!!!!....Not stepping one foot back in that football club. How the F U C K is this taking the club forward?????. Inexperienced players, inexperienced board now inexperienced manager...Will all you happy clappers be happy when he has taken us back down to League 2?. Sad and Bad day for STFC....Totally lost faith and had enough tbh'

Fucking hilarious seeing some of the comments on Thisis, you'd think they'd woken up this morning and realised rapture had really happened and they'd been left behind.

Not going to stop me going each week, but I can’t say I feel anything other than underwhelmed.

Unfortunately I think there will be a fair few whose support was teetering that this appointment will turn away.

Beat me to it CR  :)

All I can say is I don't think I've seen so many exclamation marks on one page!!!!

Good luck to him, think it is the wrong appointment but time will tell, while he is here and getting results he will be backed

Did Power/Shah say anything?

Fucking hell. Not a suit or a tie in sight.

And Power looks half asleep

This is a sad day!

FFS. really?

For those who said Cooper had a pretty shit record, his win % at Kettering Town is actually higher than PDC's here.

I know its non-league yada yada but hopefully he will be achieving similar success here and not his win % at Peterborough, which was truly woeful.

Power has also said the club have a number of targets in terms of bringing players in, but that will rely in some of the high earners moving on.

Power  also insisted Cooper picks the team on a matchday.

MARK COOPER

“I’ve had quite an input and myself Lee and Jed sit down and talk about the players, and then we come to a conclusion about who is going to do it for the football club.

“From the first moment I took over as caretaker I have had an eye on taking this job permanently.”

Seconded.... ;)

I bet Cooper can't believe his luck - well and truly on the scrap heap with no Football League club daring to touch him, he then takes a gig at crisis club Telford before getting the assistant role here. Few months down the line, he is given a two year managerial role here.

Best thing to come out of today was the chairman again repeating the objective for the season - promotion.

I'll support the manager, but lets be honest, it's a very under whelming and dare I say it, crap, appointment isn't it?

It is underwhelming, whether its crap remains to be seen, it could be a master stroke.

(http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb119/Celtic_12557/Nutshell-small_zpsaec1fa66.jpg) (http://media.photobucket.com/user/Celtic_12557/media/Nutshell-small_zpsaec1fa66.jpg.html)

But also being underwhelmed is not the same as a) being right b) not supporting him.

I hope so, because the chairman will take a lot of flak if it does not pay off.

How truly underwhelming. What a total lack of ambition and vision.

Expected the appointment but a two year contract? Someone going to poach him if we only gave him till the end of the season?

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BSHxywDCQAAXXMO.jpg)

What a dream team that is.

I haven`t bothered to read all the posts on this thread but Christ there are some negative ones doing the rounds....good luck to the bloke...I have liked what has be on offer so far....I wasn`t overly pleased with the DiCanio`s appointment but enjoyed the experience even if it did result in him almost breaking the club...surely it can`t be worse than that....so man up and get behind the bloke ffs.

That pose of Coopers is crying out for a good handbag being photoshopped into it.

Can we all move on now?

Dont understand all the anti Cooper waffle,course i would have liked someone with a bit more experience.

Baffled why it took them so long to appoint him,surely after a 1-0 defeat at Boro....rather than 2-0 at Shrewsbury,very strange.

Good luck to Cooper...he will need it,i really hope he does well.

How can you say it's a crap appointment?

Only time will tell us the answer to that.

At this moment in time the bloke has presided over 4 games - give him half a chance FFS

For a few on here he seems to be guilty of not being someone else - hardly fair

I hope he has thick skin, the poor bastard.

Meh.

Have to laugh at all the clowns (and there were plenty of you) who thought Tisdale would come here. We do have some mugs in our ranks.

Actually,I'm whelmed.

Always knew he would get the job
Cheap option and in situ - upside is players seem to be ok with him so fingers crossed he does the business

Cant say I share Jeds optimism of promotion, would love to be proved wrong but somehow cant see it happening
I guess a top half finish would be a decent season

We undoubtedly have some talented players - whether Cooper has the ability to hone those skills and improve the players is an unknown quantity.
Personally I dont think he has but prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt and till xmas
See where were lie then

Many seem underwhelmed but no one has really put forward a name (other than Tisdale who was unlikely to ever come here).

There may have been candidates queuing up for the position but would any of them have actually gone down better than Cooper. We were always highly unlikely to get a manager currently employed. Would seem mad paying compo when we're still trying to cut the playing staff.

Surprised at a two year contract, cannot see any logic in that. No new coaching staff to come in so does that mean Ward is likely to step up to be assistant following his new two year deal yesterday?

I'd have been a little more comforted by the appointment if we'd appointed an experienced cone collector like Mike Walsh.

I assume the Walsh bit is in jest....Walsh had been brought to these parts as cone carrier for McMahon, went when he did then hung about mostly on the piss for a few years, until Kingy needed a cheapo replacement for Malcolm Crosby, and so collected cones for some beer money. Fair play to Walsh mind I think he realised that football was no longer for him and moved into the catering trade.

How quickly you forget the sterling effort and important contribution our dearest cone collector made to STFC.

I always considered you the oracle as far as STFC history was concerned. I feel betrayed.

Just for the record - I will be supporting Cooper and this photo is not a reflection of my thoughts on him!

Fuck you Reg, I cone gather for my sons U10 team sometimes. I model myself on Walsh, but with a bit of Batch magic thrown in. Yeah that's right, the cones go back onto the holder grouped in colours. How do ya like them onions.

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:
 

No new coaching staff?  I thought they appointed somebody a fortnight ago as well as a sports scientist - Brighton connections I believe.

Given that Cooper was assistant and caretaker, I presumed they may have considered bringing in an assistant manager to, erm, assist.

I know about the coaching staff already at the club.

:)

They're holding the scarf as if they nicked it off a plague victim found under a bush in the County Ground Hotel garden.

Same here. But with all the loanees, the matured talent will probably head off elsewhere and the recruitment process will begin again next pre-season and probably leading to another season of mediocrity.

You're predicting that the 2013/14 season will be mediocre/crap when we are 4 games in to the current season?

Jesus fucking wept. That's negativity on an overdose of steroids.

Is there any need for Power, Shah and Jed to be in the picture at all? It looks like 3 randoms who have won a 'get your photo taken with the manager' competition.

I realise MC is just a puppet but surely just a photo of him holding the scarf aloft would have sufficed?

The main point is a valid one though.

All well and good saying let them develop and consolidate in midtable, but what happens when 4 regulars (and I expect at least 2 of them will prove key players, arguably ML already is) return to Spurs and are pinched by other clubs (championship) the season after? Which, if they are any good, is likely to happen.

Christ, you're fucking quick to have a go at people aren't you?!

The point being that Fred's and I agree that we would be happy with mid-table mediocrity this season (I'm basing this on unproven manager, inexperienced squad, the performances I have so far witnessed, the reports I have read. If you're interested, which I doubt, I actually enjoyed and was encouraged by what I saw against Torquay and Stevenage).

Fred mentioned maturing - presumably meaning that the players and manager have the potential to develop and improve together. My observation regarding this is that even if this is the case this season, it is unlikely to bear fruit the following season as successful loanees are unlikely to stay for another season. If that is the case, and the same recruiting process is followed as per this pre-season, a new batch of loanees will join and Cooper will have to mould them into a team, hence the prospect of another season of mediocrity rather than progress. Hardly negativity on a dose of steroids. And why introduce 'crap' into it. Not a word I used.

Probably the most meaningless managerial appointment I can remember at STFC. Power's patsy. I'd also like to know the foreign investors Jed had got lined up - more bullshit. 

Valid point

Don't fucking read it then or fuck off somewhere else

2013/14 is the current season.

Doh!

Appointment makes sense to me at this stage of proceedings. I don't get all the negative crap, no one knows how it will pan out. At worst, at least it cant be as bad as MM or Hart were. He needs time and support, which I'll give for sure.

I don't think Leftside was being overly negative. I think his point is the biggest question mark still hanging over the new set-up.

The obvious problem with our current approach is: if we're not setting down foundations to build upon something better for next year, and we're not getting enough short-term benefits from the loanees' to challenge for promotion this year, then what exactly are we getting? What is the end goal in sight at the end of all this?

If the loanees' leave at the end of each season, just when they might have gained enough experience to offer us something more for the next season, then we're likely to get stuck in a self-perpetuating cycle, with none of the financial benefits that blooding our own young players to potentially be sold on would provide.

I really admire the positivity shown from some on here. Not that it matters as I rarely go to Town these days, but I don't share that view. Simon Jordan style chairman, together with a very inexperienced board, inexperienced team and going from PDC to Mark Cooper in just over 6 months, I'm struggling for reasons to be cheerful with Town.

From the brink of having no football club to one which is still going and now trying to employ a self-sustainable model to ensure the club isn't financially fucked when Jed & co sell up in a few years

Sounds fair enough when put like that.

Chalkies shorts is the first person I have ignored on here, and there have been some wankers previously!

The PDC era has spoiled us somewhat.

As you say he's a puppet so he needs Jed there next to him to operate his arms.  :D

From your user name you must be some age to have seen chalkie play so I cannot believe you are forgetting some of our other managerial appointments, Iffy, Hart, Malpas, Quinn?

You should know by now that they're are a high number of people who think they can see into the future on here though Sutton. Good to have you back here mate (in a completely non gay way of course).


If they manage to pull this off then they will deserve massive credit especially based on where we were when Black pulled the plug mid season. They'll never get that credit from some I expect. People need to have some patience and see what pans out.

:Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

I used to like chalkie's posts in the main, but recently he's become a broken record, needs a chill pill and a few beers imo. Stressing over football does no one any good in the long run.

A lot of our fan base have already written them off, that isn't going to change.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating as many fat bastards will tell you. Maybe I am being overly positive in giving the board a chance and its all going to go tits up but at the moment, I am going to try and enjoy supporting my football team on the pitch and give the board a bit of a break off of it. I think having Mcrory as Chairman was a bit of a mistake, he's not football chairman 'material' and I think that is really turning a lot of people off the football club at the moment.

Dunno if this makes me a happy clapper or not.

I agree actually. I too thought he was a good poster and his match reports are a really good read, but the anti-board thing has just become tiresome. However each to their own and that is what the ignore function is for I suppose.

Ditto

Or maybe we're only going to use this model for one season as a way of bottoming out on the wage front. Come the end of the season all our higher paid players will either have moved on already or will be out of contract.  This will give us the opportunity to properly start from scratch.

This season the loanees will be next to no cost and they have given us numbers we desperately need at the moment.

Maybe maybe maybe ........

The one thing I do know is that ..... Cooper needs a minimum of 4 points from the next 2 home games as September looks pretty horrendous!

I also want you all to stop bullying Chalkie .... It's mean!

 Chalkie always talks a lot of sense in my opinion..

 

What you mean is his views are similar to yours. That doesn't necessarily mean either of you talk sense.

Bring it on. I don't give a fuck. I don't feel bullied in any way. I have an opinion I am expressing on a forum, most don't agree, tough shit and as someone said its what the ignore button is for. I will continue on here for as long as I want or until the mods delete my account.
Get used to it bitches.  

Good man...

I've never understood why anyone would choose to use the ignore button...what's the point of being on a forum, if not to hear people's opinion, whether you agree with it or not.

Ooooooooooooooooooh... someone's tired.

hopeless optimism or the cloud of doom are different sides of the same coin.

Nobody knows who had it right until after the fact. As long as the point is thought out does it matter.

I'd imagine there are people who feel posting their views on a subject is not worth the hassle of being branded a mong or a Jed shafter. I think that's a shame myself.

Agreed. And amongst all the drivel and monotonous shite some post there's sometimes something of interest. Even DMR wrote something of vague interest once.

Hope not just about to take the family out to Gloucester for the day. Good day al Longleat yesterday as well.

Agreed. Actually think there's been some decent debate on here over the last couple of days

Agreed.

Its' more likely that people don't post as every thread has the same ending, whatever the initial subject. That's what did it for me for several months anyway.

Well said.

Yep.

100% agree.

Completely agree. I've said a few times lately that the constant casting to extremes to misrepresent a post and then attacking the misrepresentation is extremely tiresome and seems to be becoming more common. Or maybe I'm just noticing it more.

Lets now have a massive debate about the fucking ignore button!

Are we signing any players or anything? this board/manager chat is getting tedious now, Saturday can't come quickly enough.

I don't know, I thought that myself until 4 other TEF posters had expressed exactly the same thing to me.

read back through your posts for the explanation as why people might want to use the ignore button Reg. ;)

People who use the ignore button have superiority complexes. Certain people on here think others are beneath them. That's how it looks anyway. Others far too touchy and sensitive.
Why it's a us vs them thing on here I don't know? Just post your opinion and back it up if it's challenged regardless of what anyone says or how the label you.
I respect people who have a view and stick to it over those who either follow the crowd, change their views by the day or think the popular opinion is the only one worth airing.

That works both ways as well Batch. Very often I can't be arsed with posting a more realistic/non story telling/positive view as it not worth the hassle.

I usually just end up looking like an argumentative cunt regardless then.

I ignore 1 person, and it's because I'm not that interested in the freemasons or conspiracy theories.

(To be clear, I do also have a superiority complex, but that's not why I use the ignore button).

Is anyone reading this or am I on everyone's ignore list?

[panto voice]Oooooh, no you doooon't[/panto voice]

I fucking do, now shut your chops!

I meant 'Jed shafter' in the context of brown nosing man love, not someone waning him to fail.

My point was it is the same at both poles of the argument, and that neither is necessarily correct or incorrect. I think Arriba expressed it better.

Ahh my bad. Sorry Batch.

Yep.  There's a number of people over the last couple of pages particularly who haven't even bothered to comment on the appointment (myself included) although we've obviously all got a view.


Well said.  Pretty much the point I made in another thread a few days ago, which iirc somebody jumped on.  

no no kind sir, the mistake was in my ambiguous writings.

It's behiiiinnnd you!

If anyone is too scared to post in case someone else disagrees with them and calls them names, then they don't deserve an opinion in the first place. Grow up.

Let you off, try and do better next time. :-)

The ignore button is a strange one. I don't use it, but presumably those who do, do so because they get really riled up by that poster.

I can't be the only one who would be 'unignoring' momments later because I want to see if that persons latest comments wound me up. Isn't that human nature, to hope someone says something that you can use to provoke a row?

I was going to post this but was scared of being insulted.

true. I'd say not worth the hassle rather than scared...

I tried the ignore button once on mad D. But what you say is exactly what happened!

I'm not scared to post, just can't be arsed sometimes. There's a massive difference, and I'm sure some feel the same.

I agree though Jayo, if you're scared then you need to grow a pair (the ladies may find this a tad tricky I concede)

John is right. If all else fails just call someone a cunt. Its perfectly normal on here and accepted.

It's more the fact that I can't be bothered to get dragged into an argument and insulted. There's nothing really to be gained from it and I really don't understand what some people seem to get out of being argumentative and unpleasant towards other on a regular basis (calling someone a cunt aside)  There's more to life.

What a miserable bunch of cunts we all are.

I am bloody terrified to post, its been keeping me awake at night.

Things do seem to be getting a little polorised on here at the moment but it seems that Jed is a marmite chairman and thats why views are so varied. Not saying its a bad things and its healthy to have opinions to discuss, I do find it annoying that certain issues with the board are continually posted as 'fact' when there has not been any evidence to support th view but suspect that ultimately things are somewhere between the posistions held between the 'we are all doomed' merchants and the 'happy clappers'.

I do find myself getting more argumentative on here but am putting that down to a lack of sleep,

haha! Thats totally what I did. I am ignoring nobody now anymore.

Apart from the provoke a row bit.

Up until very recently I have always been quite positive. Always tried to look at the glass half full whereas STFC are concerned because the fact is it takes up a large chunk of my social life....so I really don't fancy being a miserable cunt all of the time, but you have to say what  you see and if things seem to be going overwhelmingly negatively in my opinion, I'm not going to sugar coat it and pretend it's something else.

Jedco have been in charge since February, that's 7 months some of which was off season. Initially when they took over I was grateful that someone had and the club wasn't going to be heading for administration. The season ticket offer from the club allowing for instalments without interest was also a big positive for me and I was generally feeling quite good about the new lot, pending some decent communication about who they were, etc.

Now fast forward about 6 months, what's changed? Let me rationalise...

Initial communication was dire, we had no clarification on who owned the club and in what share, etc. We also had little back ground on the people involved. Since then board members have changed like the weather, coming in and out like a cheap whore house and have been seen fighting in the executive lounge (eye witnesses, close friends)

Our chairman, the man in charge of this circus who should be the most professional of the lot, makes an arse of himself on twitter on a regular basis and can barely spell to a primary school standard. I'm no grammar expert and I'm far from perfect with my English, but I'd like the man in charge of STFC to know the difference between your and you're.

The bloke makes me cringe every time he opens his mouth. He has arguments with fans over twitter and regularly sends direct messages to those who disagree with him and try to win them over with free tickets on occasions.

Jed also came with a reputation from his days at Banbury of broken promises and trying to win back fans by buying them pints. So far he's managed to upkeep this reputation by entering jack the lad mode in local pubs, attempting to converse with young known hooligans about their recent exploits and boasting to know the EDL when people comment on him being from Luton.

Then there's a string of baffling PR own-goals including a bizarre situation with the adver putting Sam on the naughty step for a period, the shambles of the concerts which I appreciate they may not have been directly responsible for and weird statements about negative fans being responsible for turning sponsors off.

The guy is a complete buffoon and loses my confidence more and more every time he talks, a stark contract to the well spoken and professional Nick Watkins who was the previous mouth piece for the club.

Then the club has the issue surrounding having a tax dodger operating new signings from Switzerland year round, who many people believe are picking the signings given we were signing players with no permanent manager.

Then there's an issue we have signed a complete lunatic as our star striker who has been released from his previous club for being a loon. Someone who poses for photos with guns on twitter, spells out his name with £50 notes, tattoos his own name on his forehead and is just generally a complete tool. Add to that he is currently pending a rape charge.

Then there's rife rumours that Mark Cooper is our new manager, finally ended by weeks of confusion and announced after the worst possible time it seems.

Everyone knows that there are some right cunts who follow Swindon who even at the best possible moments seem to be negative about everything, but isn't it possible for those of you who are still of a quite positive opinion to see that there are a fair amount of perfectly normal rational fans leaning to the negative side at the moment for what they feel is good reason? Can a good proportion of you please stop insulting posters when they post an opinion that's not entirely glowing with praise? Equally this 'happy clapper' name calling bull shit needs to stop as well.

I appreciate that others may see things different to me which is why I avoid these petty insults....plus I'd much rather be feeling positive about the people in charge of our club right now, it's a life as a fan that is much easier to enjoy and I wouldn't be so worried for a start. Unfortunately I just can't be of that mind frame at this moment in time based on a combination of the facts in addition to the noises coming out the club and things I get told which whilst admittedly may be shot down as hear'say/rumour, they've come from people I trust.

Reasonable, if one sided, what about all of the positive bits to balance it out?

Fair point and maybe I'm missing some/not considering enough of them. Care to go in to detail?

I can list what I can see the main good points are.

Saving the club from Administration/Liquidation.
Weathering the fallout from the shit storm that was happening when AB effectively quit. ( When you are fire fighting the first thing that fails is communication) Even though it's the most important.

Halving the wage budget to a reasonable level.
The concert income ( if reported correctly)
The catering contract.
Retaining the sponsors
Getting some promising players in, with more to come
Keeping Fods.
Keeping NT and Louis.
Keeping Ward
Starting to engage correctly with the fans.
Heading off potentially damaging lawsuits

There are more, but it's not all bad. Some things could be better, but time will hopefully sort those issues out, lots to work on, but things are not as bad as people make out

Yep, I have felt like that many times, this summer especially.

This board took on a club without due dilligence in order to stop us going to the wall.  The manager then quits, they have to plan for a future without a sugar daddy and reduce the budget for the team drastically.  I think whilst they have not at timescome across well that we need o give them the benefit of the doubt.  Theres no one else out there who wants to take us on at the moment it would appear.

I think the best thing that we could do as fans is support the trust to ensure they are pushing the club to be as transparent as possible in order to reassure us, the fans.

Right, bed time for me.  12 hours of internet trawlling/job hunting and now a night of no sleep looking after baby.

This is the main thing people tend to go back to when talking about Jed and as I said the one thing I am grateful for is that it wasn't something potentially worse, like admin and the wrath of the football league who may or may not have treated us extra harshly given our history and the fact that we're Swindon.

But some sections of Town's support act as though Jed is some shining white knight who's dome something remarkable by taking over STFC, for which we should be eternally in his debt for.

Jedco took over a debt free football club for free albeit with ongoing running cots which would cost something down the line whilst costs were cut. That is a million miles from the picture people paint of this doomed sinking ship that was seconds away from extinction when they talk about the takeover. It's just not reality. Despite having his own faults and being far from perfect, that's more accurate of what happened when Fitton's consortium took over.

Agreed, scrutiny of those in charge should always be our defence mechanism even when things appear to be good. We unfortunately let our guard down a little while times were good and it has cost us somewhat. Hopefully never again.

Has mark cooper got us promoted yet??

Does the forum want new people to get involved or do people want to stick to the perceived (by some) clique where you have to trace your roots back to TUMDFC to have any credibility?

I got labelled a newbie by Flashheart earlier when I've been on here for a year and was reading as a guest for a year before that.

my dislike of cliques is well known on here. Some people like it that way. New and infrequent posters usually get a hard time on here for a bit.
Just say what you want I say.

No you know I was responding to you saying somebody was 'in a coma' for expressing their thoughts on the forum, somebody that just happens to be around for some time.

If you are going to give it out then you had better be prepared to take some as well.

Fair point - agreed. What I meant by that was football fans complaining about their club has happened for as long as I remember and I doubt it will change. (Some Man U fans used to regularly complain about Ferguson's tactics in Europe for example).  I do agree that moaning for moaning's sake is pointless but where's the line between a happy clapper and a doom merchant? Was the first person to raise concerns about Diamandis labelled as negative?

http://www.hatsandcaps.co.uk/Village-Hats-Orange-Fez-with-White-Tassel-P193307/

I better go for XL

Surely changing your opinion on something is normal? At the moment I think the positives outweigh the many negatives at the club. If I found out that the board were raping the club and trousering loads of cash, my opinion would no doubt change.
I've got as much time for slavish devotion to Jed & co as I have for the people who constantly highlight the shortcomings of the new lot, without acknowledging any positives at all and use any and every thread to let the rest of us know.
Neither of the above leads to much debate, just repetition.

I honestly cant see whoever the Board is comprised of can impinge on people's enjoyment of the actual game.

Yes, Jed may well be a blundering buffoon and Power thinks of himself as some sort of footballing overlord, but it's what happens on the pitch that I'm interested in.

I pay my £25 to be entertained and, if possible, to win a game or 2.

If the owners want to play Billy Big Bollocks I really don't give a shit.

If, further down the line, it becomes obvious they don't have the welfare of the club at heart, I will change my mind on them.

Until then I will support my club - come what may

of course. I should have been clearer as I meant sticking to a view despite it not being popular - getting stick for it etc.

As will I and as will many who have been moaning and stating negative opinions about Jedco. There are some real tossers out there who will stay away, but we know most of those people would always find an excuse anyway. They're the "i'll come back when McMahon/Hunt/Hart/Malpas/Diamandis/Curley the teaman/delete as appropriate leaves" brigade.

For the most part it won't stop the people feeling shit about the board from turning up and backing the team.

I'm not particularly fond of Jed to be honest, I think he's a bit of a tool... But he's trying and I find it hard to hate anyone who is doing their best. I feel obliged to defend him & the board due to the fact that some of the abuse they've received is relentless & unfair and it really bugs me when abuse is unwarranted. I'm all for everyone having an opinion, but when that opinion is negatively focused based on absolutely nothing, or something someone's made up, I find it hard to respect it. People speak absolute bullshit and then hide behind the standard "I'm allowed my opinion!". Most of the time it isn't even their own opinion anyway.

At the end of the day I just want to support my team and I want my team to do well. It bugs me that fans seem to look for excuses to not go, it's akin to a child throwing his toys out of his pram because he isn't getting his own way. Most of it is down to reasons that aren't even true, and it has a negative impact on the club they claim to support. I can't respect people like that.

Sums up pretty much where I stand as well.

Like I said above, they're not really fans anyway. There are real fans who do go who are pissed off and have opinions that should count for something.....but I'd take any off the stay away excuse finders say with more than a pinch of salt.

Which is the reason I don't think Cooper is good enough for us...even with the constraints that we know about.

The debate on here, as with most football debates, tends to be a little repetitive but almost everything that has happened since Wilson's departure has been somewhat controversial and therefore divisive and polarising. I still rely on the forum to keep me in touch with events at STFC, both on and off the pitch, whilst being an excellent way of wasting time as Norway is a fucking shit country.

Back on the original topic, I find it strange how Power can effectively operate in a DoF role when he can only be in the country for 90 days out of 365?

Its not just the entry for me, it's the petrol, the time and everything else like food and drink, I want to see my team try hard on the pitch, when it seems they cant be arsed, its really annoys me, although PDC did go OTT with the discipline, I welcomed the approach.

This atitude filteres down from the top tho, if the club isnt run in a professional manner, how can you expect its staff to act accordingly?

Weather the board's intentions are honourable or not, I expect them to be a lot more professional then they have been, but I am certainly not on the 'get the board out' campaign until it is made clear that their intentions are harmful. Hence they do not have my full support, that is reserved for the playing staff of the club, and manager, until I feel he is not competant to do the job. Regardless of his past expereinces.

And yes, I have roots in the TUMDC thing, I helped get the fucking blimp up!!! and donated my Orange hat to Bob Holt in CGH! Happy fucking days!!

Don't think that is too much of a problem...he phones Sherwood and asks for 6 or 7 players, and the job is done. They do have phones in La Suisse...not sure about Norway mind.

I think the board have stated communication needs to improve, they have made mistakes, may be a good idea for Jed to keep off Twitter so he doesn't paint a great big huge target on his head.

I think considering we have gone through an enormous restructuring we have done so a lot less painfully than I imagined.  Yes still a lot to get right but rather than criticise we should really be looking at ways we can get more involved, fan on the board would be a good thing to promote.

Sorry for the rambling today guys, lack of sleep, hallucinating etc etc

If I did have an ignore list, your fine selection of avatars would be enough to keep you off it.

As Cooper is just the coach sending out the players he is given, playing in the formation and manner he is told to implement, who do we chant 'out' (as often happens in the end) if it goes wrong? Him or Power? Seeing as all the major decisions are taken above Cooper, does it relieve him of a modicum of responsibility/accountability?

"Power out" may offend some Tranmere fans of a certain age so probably best avoided

Although being on an awful losing run and in that sort of situation would be awful, I can't help but giggle at the prospect of The Town End chanting "We want Power out" whilst a goal down to Tranmere at home. Pity it's a Saturday though and not a night game, won't have the same effect.

I think if there's one thing Real Madrid have taught the world, it's that the coach is always the one who gets fired.

Too many fans have ideas about the club which are far above its station; very Leeds-esque.

Quite ironic considering we all kick up a stink when other fans have a sense of entitlement to something better.

There's nothing wrong with aspiration and ambition, I'm not particularly enthralled by matters on the pitch and haven't been since MacDonald clearly wasn't going to get us promotion. But I'm still going to turn up, enjoy it when we do win and have a good day out with my mates. If things get really shitty on the pitch I'm sure I'll moan about it, but what's the point of bringing the whole season down before we've hardly played?

I'd say the general mood, is that the optimists think we can get to mid table whereas the pessimists  think we'll be involved in a relegation battle....both camps would probably settle for 15th/16th.

The only personwho thinks we're going for promo...is McCrory, and I don't think anyone takes too much notice of what he says.

Good post.

:D

I have no idea how our season is going to pan out. It would take a miracle to get promotion with our budget but it does happen. Our budget is competitive enough for this division.

Jed was clearly just trying to put some positivity back into the season. Maybe a little naive to do so, but then again he is competing with hundreds of moaning fuckers.

I agree. I've had debates with people I disagreed with, but I could at least see why they were feeling negative!

I think we'll finish in the play offs this season.

The more I think about it (and this could be my scepticism) is there any evidence to show Jedco have actually put any money in yet?

They basically got a debt free football club for free, with the downside being that there were large ongoing running costs which would need to be managed whilst the budget was reduced to an even balance sheet.

Now during the takeover we sold Matt Ritchie, the reason given was that Black would no longer be funding the ongoing running costs and we needed cold hard cash fast, we got it. I'm not sure how long this money was quoted as covered the running costs for? Maybe someone can help me with this?

Since then we've sold Flint which included a transfer fee and received money from Burnley for the sale of Charlie Austin which I understand Mr Fitton has also unfortunately taken a cut of as well.

The figures quoted that the wage bill needed to come down from £4.8m a year to £2.4m a year to be level I believe? The last meeting with the trust the club said after the players that have gone and replaced when the cheap Spurs loans we are still at about £2.8m a year so about £400k a year over budget still. Since then there's been Luke Rooney's departure and Paul Benson should complete a loan move to Luton, together that has to account for at least £200k a year assuming Crawley and Luton will be contributing at least £2k a week for each player, which must leave us still around £200k a year over budget.

Is it feasible to think that the sales of Ritchie, Flint and the money from Austin has covered if not all, the majority of the ongoing running costs so far whilst the budget has been reduced and Jed and his mates haven't had to fund anything just yet? Sensible opinions please.

It could well be the case. Murrall stated at the business plan presentation that funds were in place to cover the shortfall, so it may be that Lee Power needs to dip into his pocket less. Certainly not a bad thing, if we're going to be sustainable then it has to be done true to meaning.

Power had to put in 1.2 million didn't he?

My understanding is they had to show The Football League that that they had £1.2m in a holding account 'just in case' before The Football League would approve the takeover, which is one of the reasons it took so long.

More like a deposit rather than money for use...

Yep, which may have been used and may not. We have no idea on the exact in and outs so I would suggest it's impossible to say whether any money has been put in or not (without the company accounts). The only thing we do know is that if it has it's unlikely to be millions seeing as the board have as good as admitted as much anyway.

Even so, I don't suppose too many of us could find £1.2 mill, kicking around that we could out into an account as a guarantee. An interesting snippet from this weeks Cooper debaclecision, was him saying he was meeting with "the chairman and the owners" could it be there's someone as well as Power in the background still?

Other than seeing the accounts, what evidence could there be?

Regardless, if the owners aren't having to put money into the club then that's a good sign as far as I'm concerned as it means the club is living within it's means and sustainability is viable.

There has been a lot said about potential investors pulling out around the time of the takeover, more or less leaving Jed et al in the lurch. I have a hunch that with the Di Canio case out of the way and with the outgoings now resembling some more reasonable, said parties may have been encouraged to get involved again. When they pulled out originally they  may have said something along the lines of 'we're not getting involved in this mess, get back to us once you've fixed it.

That's just a hunch based upon nothing though , I'm no Chang.

I think the analysis, is about countering the argument, that the club was about to go to the wall, with massive debts. For sure a bit of work needed and still does on wage bill reduction...but nothing too drastic, not a Pompey or Coventry for example.

So thinking further, based on my theory that I have that due to those figures Jed and Power haven't had to dip their hand in their pocket just yet, I question why they're here? The rest of the overspend could possibly be sorted if we can get a fee for Caddis and shift one or maybe two more.

Now I don't think they're going to asset strip us and run for the hills like some do, but I think the game plan is to take over the club, cut the budget to make is self sustainable but sell as much as possible to cover this so only little money is required out of their own pockets if any, then maybe sell. It would be realistic to think a debt free self sustainable club in either League One or League Two would go for maybe a million or two....but problem is where are we left then?

In the mean time of course he gets a shiny merc, allowed to get beered up for free at football and generally have the spotlight on him playing Jack the lad which he seems to like. Let's be honest it's hardly the worst thing in the world and at most sets of football fans wouldn't have bat an eye lid, but most football fans don't scrutinise their owners quite like ours.

Jed has said that Power has put money in

the last page of this thread has given me hope that at some point we may finally be pulling in the same direction.


well, surely that situation would be positive?  if someone were to come in and pay 2m for us in the scenario you mention then surely that would be a pretty serious statement of intent?  you'd think that there'd be more money to follow?

i honestly think jed et al were let down at some point by somebody and have subsequently made some very hard but necessary decisions that were met with all sorts of vitriol by some sections of the fanbase and that now we're getting closer to where we need to be.

i see no danger of relegation this term, once we're settled i think we'll be more than good enough defensively and will soon start to score a few goals. 

this season is, for me, all about consolidation and as far as i'm concerned next season will be a much better barometer of where we are as a club going forward.  if some fans are too impatient for that then as far as i'm concerned they shouldn't be sport fans at all unless they want to live as man city fans in some sort of perpetual 2011/2012 season - if you want to support your local club then you have to accept that more often than not you will not be celebrating unless you happen to be a manchester or london native.  sport is hard, if it wasn't it wouldn't exist, or would at most be utterly pointless.

12 league games in now, plus a very favourable record in cup competitions so far. Getting to the point where it's reasonable to judge.

The lads not doing bad so far, is he?........

The chants of 'we are Coopers red n white army' were echoing between the TE and DRS a lot tonight.

Will hold my hands up and admit I was one of those who wasnt too happy at the Cooper appointment.

Home form has been decent and of late very good tho we do lack the killer instinct at times despite bossing games.
Away we have been disappointing but Cooper has recognised that and did say he would alter the formation which he did and worked a treat v rovrum.

Decent little money earning run in the Capital cup, chance to go further in the piss pot trophy and still the FAC to come

Things are certainly heading in the right direction, We have come thru a few injuries and suspensions without too much hindrance which bodes well for the long haul.
Crunch may come around xmas with condensed fixtures and potential loss of Ranger and return to Posh of Ajose.

Certainly looking a lot rosier than I thought it would.

It's still pretty crap though, the number of people who join in in the DRS. Some of them only know We are Paolo's Red and White Army. Cooper deserves more recognition from the fans.

Bad??? The football is wonderful for this level.

We have been very lucky with the Spurs boys and I shall just enjoy it and not think about what happens when/if they go back.

I know a few on here have said that they will never make it at Spurs but with Andros Townsend taking a similar route of loans you wouldn't blame them dreaming.

We'll need to get promoted to keep them another season - whether on further loan or permanent.

Viva La Cooperino!!

Hall is getting better but certainly not the best defender I've seen in town colours. Mason and Pritchard are quality. Of the former, we've played well and won without him in the team.

I don't think it would be as devastating as you're making out.

would love to keep the spurs lads. Cooper has us playing great football at the minute I am enjoying every second of it. Long may it continue.

King Cooper's sexy football  8)

Considering Cooper's/Jed's/Power's dealings so far I'm confident they'll find more than adequate replacements. They'll also have more money to play with.

If Kmac had stayed and had us playing this football he'd have been hailed like the messiah in a way Cooper probably never will be due to the circumstances of his appointment.

Must be kicking himself for quitting now. Must say I prefer Cooper's more combative personality. Still can't quite believe how well everything's turned out.

i like him.  i like his interviews.  i like his brand of football.

We won today.

One of the first things he said was that he wasn't happy with the scoreline.

I like that.

Cooper-Cola

Credit to Cooper so far, I remember posting on the day K-Mac looked like going that I expected Cooper to get the job and it was laughed off.

Play Offs must be achieved with this side and I certainly wasn't saying that in pre season, delighted how it has turned out so far.

I've just been reading back some of the earlier posts of this thread  and it was all very negative. To be fair to Cooper so far he has done a great job.

I liked it last night when he said he didn't want to pick out individuals but focus on the team - slightly different to the dog /donkey naming and shaming in the past.

Some real candidates for re-quote at the end of the season if we keep on playing like we are

Too soon for the I told you so posts just yet.

There are some regular negative, matter-of-fact smug posters who love reminding us all of the prophecies when the shit does hit the fan. SO I would love this to happen.

There was plenty of room for concern at the time. I wasn't keen on Cooper taking over within the immediate aftermath of MacDonald's departure but had little issues with him once he had taken pre-season.

The slightly unhinged aside, fans are always happy to be proved wrong.

I was unhappy at his appointment. And I stand by why I was unhappy.

But so far so wrong about Cooper, and the ability to integrate so many youngsters. Long may it continue.

One could argue that all the credit should go to Lee Power, after all he does sign the players and pick the team....

I doubt if there's a single fan that wanted Cooper above some of the other names that were being thrown about. I didn't for the same reasons as most others.

I am ecstatic to be proved wrong so far and long may my wrongness continue

The thing is, whichever manager you have will have some bad times if they stay long enough.
Expect some of our doom mongers to re-emerge if/when that happens.

Personally at the time I thought we gave him the job too early, but he (& the board) have done a very good job so far.

I did laugh a bit at Leroy on the FL show when talking about Brizzle Shiity going through a transition period as an excuse for their poor form. I can't imagine many teams in the country having gone through more of a transition than we have, and we aren't doing too bad on it so far.

Spot on.